Details

Release year: 1973

Storyline

26-part documentary series tracing World War II from the rise of Nazi Germany through the conflict's major campaigns and home fronts, using archival footage and firsthand interviews, narrated by Laurence Olivier.

Top credits

Cast

Laurence Olivier — Self - Narrator
Averell Harriman — Self - Roosevelt's Roving Ambassador, Self - Roosevelt's Special Representative in Britain, Self - U.S. Ambassador to Moscow 1945, Self - U.S. Ambassador to Russia 1943-46, Self - U.S. Ambassador to Russia 1945
Anthony Eden — Foreign Secretary 1940, Self - British Foreign Secretary, Self - Foreign Affairs 1945, Self - Foreign Secretary, Self - War Cabinet 1940-45, Self - War Minister 1940
Albert Speer — Self, Self - Minister of Armaments, Self - Hitler's Armaments Minister, War Production

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Awards

1 win & 3 nominations

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Did you know

• Albert Speer's testimony in the series is now considered highly unreliable. Speer considerably downplayed his involvement in Nazi atrocities. After his death a letter he wrote in December 1971 proved he had full knowledge of the Holocaust throughout its course, despite his repeated public denials.

• Albert Speer was interviewed by Martin Smith, who strongly disliked the entire experience. Smith was disgusted that Speer seemed unashamed of his role in the Nazi regime, but he had to be polite in order for the interview to proceed. He still feels uncomfortable about the experience.

• It was unknown when the series was made that the fascist Spanish dictator Francisco Franco had offered to join the Axis on 19 June 1940, but had demanded Cameroon for Spain, which was unacceptable to Hitler. Admiral Erich Raeder had insisted Germany needed Cameroon for Plan Z.